"I had no thought of meeting you here." "And I still less of seeing your ladyship," he rejoined coldly.
"How cross you are," she retorted with childish petulance, "what have I done that you should be so unkind ?" "Unkind ?" "Aye! I had meant to speak to you of this ere now--but you always avoid me ...

you scarce will look at me ...

and ...

and I wished to ask you if I had offended you ?" They were standing on a soft carpet of moss, overhead the gentle summer breeze stirred the great branches of the elms, causing the crisp leaves to mutter a long-drawn hush-sh-sh in the stillness of the night.

From far away came the appealing call of a blackbird chased by some marauding owl, while on the ground close by, the creaking of tiny branches betrayed the quick scurrying of a squirrel.